'Multi-crop management key to progress'

The key to improving the economic status of the farmers in Tamil Nadu lies in multi-crop management, M Veera Shanmuga Moni, district collector of Thanjavur, said in a press release.

On the sidelines of inaugurating TN Agricon 2006, a two-day state-level agricultural conference and exhibition, organised by the Confederation of Indian industry (CII) in Thanjavur, he said that developing skills on multi-crop or organic farming and value addition would bring down farmers' dependence on paddy.

The conference will also have discussions on topics like 'Merits of contract farming', 'Agricultural marketing', 'New strategies to meet challenges', 'Irrigation management', 'Rain water harvesting and strategies for water resource management techniques for crops', 'Value addition of milk and marketing of dairy products', 'Post-harvest technology and value addition', and 'Drought management strategies for field crops', the release added.